The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1887-04-07
4 PLUcKY HYDRoPHoBIc PATIENT,
The Victim of Mad Dogs Bite Describes
His Sufferinrs.


The Victim of a Mad Dogs Bite Describes
His Suferings.
Through the courtesy OF Dr. John d.
Spencer, the physician in charge, l was
permitted to talk a few moments in pri-
vate with Jere Coughlin, Of The Water
tc wp Times, who was bitten by rabid
deg on the evening of May 10. MIR.
Coughlin was reminded that the people
were suspicious that he did not tell the
whole truth about the dog. 81 did not
in print, he candidly replied, for had l
done so, there would have been great ex-
element. People die from fright. and
did not care to kill any one if the dog did
try it. The truth is, the dog made his
entrance into my dining-room by butting
the door open with his head. That caused
the the tired appearance. He was sim
ply stunned. My wife turned him out
and watched him so around the house,
calling nay attention to the fact that he
was frothing at the mouth. | went out
the other way 10 look for him, taking a
coal shovel in my hand. As got out
the dog was running toward the barn,
one OF the large doors Of which was
open. But he did not so in. He struck
his head against the closed door and
turned almost around. lie jumped up
quickly again and ran straight toward
me. | raised the shovel; he sprang for
my hand. but caught my leg, but blow
from the back of the shovel made him
loosen his hold, when he went straight
under the back steps ana lay there until
he was shot.
What has been my treatment? Dr.
Spencer must tell you that. l have fol-
lowed his advice and taken his medicine;
have kept cool and calm; saw no one but
the doctor for eleven days. My symp-
toms have been carefully noted down,
sometimes by myself and sometimes by
my wife. l noticed alarm in the doc
tors face the eighth day. My temper
ature was normal and my pulse 1870. |
Gained myself as best / could. That
morning / began to have sharp pains in
my eyes. The eyebalIs enlarged SO that
l could see TO read nonpareil without
glasses, something which l had not done
for twelve years. There was an uneasy
restlessness all day. Although my
temper is usually calm, it was with the
utmost endeavor that could control my
self. | wanted to scold or hit somebody,
and chewed up a whole lead pencil in
my fury. retired between 2 and s in
the evening, not because l was sleepy,
but for the purpose of getting out of the
way Of everybody. Hot and cold flashes
passed through my system until mid
night, while l tumbled and tossed about
the bed wrapped in flannel sheets. With
almos' lightning suddenness then began
pain sharp ones, seemingly coming
fro the wound at first, but SO rapid
that within a short time they seemed to
start from every part OF my system.
was burning, in pain, and thirsty. My
first impulse was to take a run in the
cool air, my second was TO stay in bed
and fight it out did not care to call
anyone, fearing that their task would
cause me to lose what little reason had.
| felt so light that it seemed to me there
was danger of my floating out of bed; l
firmly grasped the side of the bed and
held on, believing the unusual pain and
heat would soon pass away. | held my
self in that position until a few minutes
before 4-nearly four hours-when the
pain and heat suddenly stopped.
MY mind was perfectly clear. The
flannel sheets were wet with perspira-
ton. got up terribly exhausted and
attempted to take spoonful of aromatic
spirits of ammonia in half a glass of
water which had been prepared for me
to drink through the night. My stomach
repelled it with terrible force. / waited
until the stomach had Quilted down, and
then / swallowed the medicine quickly
shutting my mouth with grim determ-
ination that it should not come out. The
stomach acted the same as before, but l
would not open my mouth. Ii was hard,
and my throat did not feel just right.
Well, got it down, and got such terri
bic wrenching Of the body that | have
not yet recovered. took my medicine
next day with my eyes closed. There
were some of the symptoms of the night
Lefore, but they We're lighter, and have
now passed entirely away-at least, /
think so. l could easily have gone crazy
| had / not kept my senses when burning
| N4ID pam anu InlfSu; WOulu pfODdDly
| have done so had not DIR. Spencer sent
me home from the Office to remain quiet.
l have a sore leg, and just as coon as
that IS healed / will be at work again,
satisfied that there is as much hydro
phohia in persons mind as in dogs
bite, and believing that our best Ameri-
can physicians can cure what disease
there is il patients will only control them
selves, and not go off into Mysteries"
DE-. Spencer was next called upon. He
said he had no means of positively know
ing that the dog was mad. He advised
against the killing of it, but it was killed
before his advice was known. From the
description of the dog given by an eye
witness and the symptoms of his patient
he believed the dog was mad. He did
not appear as positive as Mr.. Coughlin
in thinking that the latter would be able
TO resume work in few days, but hC
had no fears Of the result. AS to tho
treatment he preferred saying nothing
about that until the case was ended
Then he would have no objection Il
making it public. Watertown Cor. New
York Times.